Bayelsa to open airport this month

Bayelsa international cargo airport will commence operations this August.

Bayelsa Airlines Limited Managing Director Capt Henry Ungbuku, who made this known at the Airport Business Summit and Expo in Abuja, said the project was at its final stage and would be inuaguarted by the end of August.

The airport, Ungbuku said, is to guarantee security for the people of the state, especially for oil workers.

According to him, airports are not built for passenger facilitation alone, but for cargo movement.

Ungbuku said the Bayelsa Airlines was created to bridge gaps in the value chain.

Condemning the collapse of some state airports across the country due to lack of continuity, Ungbuku Bayelsa State government’s mission was to ensure continuity after the exit of the current administration.

He disclosed that the airport would accommodate B747 aircraft when completed, adding that it was being fitted with Category II landing facilities to ensure that there is no flight disruption during bad weather.

According to him, the airport’s potential are enormous not only for job creation, but for the provision of critical facilities such as a hangar.

He explained that the state having an aircraft maintenance hangar will bring succour to airlines in the country to carry out their C-checks and save millions of naira. He urged investors to come to the state as enabling environment will be provided for their business to thrive.

Ungbuku revealed that 40 per cent of air travellers using the Port Harcourt airport were from Bayelsa state maintaining that the state has the customer base.